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| Youth at the heart of the 1st Forum of Ministers of Social Development for the Caribbean |
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| The 1st Forum of Ministers of Social Development for the Caribbean was organized by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture of the Government of Jamaica, in cooperation with the UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme and the UNESCO Office in Kingston, from 24 to 26 January 2010. |
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 Recognizing that young people are suffering most from the economic and financial crisis, the Forum was devoted entirely to social development strategies for youth of the Caribbean against the backdrop of the global crisis.
Since the financial crash of 2008, the crisis has already affected several crucial domains of the life of youth, many of whom are being affected by the decrease in funds available for education and training, difficulties in entering the job market, loss of employment and anxiety about an uncertain future.
The Ministers of Social Development for the Caribbean gathered to share best practices and dialogue with researchers who presented their research based on the theme of the Forum. Potential partners and participants such as youth representatives, NGOs, the Caribbean Community and Common Market Secretariat (CARICOM), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and numerous UN agencies also participated in the debates.
In addition, the event was an opportunity for UNESCO to present the outcome and the follow-up of the
6th UNESCO Youth Forum (Paris, 1-3 October 2009), main theme of which was “Investing out of the crisis: towards a partnership between UNESCO and youth organizations”.
Finally, the Forum contributed to the formulation of evidence-based policies to minimize the negative social consequences of the crisis on youth in the region. A policy brief will be published following the meeting to share the experience and recommendations with other regions of the world.
Indeed, this Forum has contributed to the implementation of two recommendations adopted at the 9th Session of the Intergovernmental Council (IGC) of the MOST Programme on 30 September 2009 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris:- Recognizing the diversity of experiences at a national level, there should be an exchange of best practices concerning social policy responses to the crisis.
- In responding to the crisis, lessons learnt and anticipatory approaches should be included in the analysis. The MOST Forum of Ministers for Social Development could be an appropriate instrument to apply those lessons in the formulation of future policies.
Six years after the creation of the 1st regional Forum for dialogue of this kind, the Caribbean Forum is the 7th to be created at the initiative of the MOST Programme.For more information, please contact
Pedro Manuel Monreal Gonzalez, UNESCO Office in Kingston, pm.monreal-gonzalez@unesco.org, tel.: +1 876 9297087
Other events relating to UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Programme in January 2010- 11 January: Preview in France of the Clint Eastwood film Invictus. Paris, France.
- 19-21 January: 1st World Youth Meeting for a Sustainable Future, Bari, Italy.
- 21-22 January: Joint Meeting of the Bureau of COMEST and the Working Group on Environmental Ethics, Paris, France.
- 27-29 January: 6th Meeting of the World Council of the UNESCO José Marti Project, Dominican Republic.
Just published- Permanent Forum of Arab-African Dialogue on Democracy and Human Rights
UNESCO/SHS Human Security, Democracy and Philosophy Section
Paris, UNESCO, 2009, 15 p.
SHS.2009/WS/17
Available online in English and French - Human Rights: Questions and Answers
UNESCO/SHS
Available online in Arabic
Purchase in English and French
Photo: Opening Ceremony (from left to right): Senator Warren Newby, Davidson Hepburn, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Olivia Grange and Pierre Sané © UNESCO |
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| Author(s) |
UNESCO - Sector for Social and Human Sciences |
| Publication Date |
07-01-2010 |
| Source |
SHS e-News 46 / January 2010 |
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| File/document |
kingston_declaration_2010.pdf |
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